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ORLANDO, Fla. -- At the request of the State of Florida, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Preliminary Damage Assessment Team (PDA) members were deployed at 8 a.m. today to Volusia and Pasco Counties which were struck by tornados on Christmas Day. FEMA received the request Dec. 26 shortly after 5 p.m.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- With the passing of the Oct. 31 deadline, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has closed its books on the 2004 disaster housing effort in Florida, which at one point included more than 17,000 FEMA-issued trailers and mobile homes scattered across the state. As of today, less than 0.5 percent (less than one-half of 1 percent) of the agency’s manufactured housing units in Florida remain occupied by victims of the 2004 storms.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that nine non-profit groups, covering 12 counties, have agreed to help families and individuals still struggling to find permanent housing following Florida's 2004 storm season. Each will take possession of manufactured housing units under FEMA's new interim donation policy. As part of the agreements, people occupying those units will be able to remain in their trailers or mobile homes. They also will have their cases managed by a non-profit organization.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- People who remain in temporary disaster housing two years after the 2004 hurricanes struck the State of Florida now have until Oct. 31 to fulfill their permanent housing plan, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today. Occupants of FEMA-issued manufactured housing originally faced a Sept. 26 deadline.

Long-term improvements under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, as opposed to reimbursement under recovery programs, do take time. But, by working together, Florida's Division of Emergency Management and FEMA are providing resources to communities faster than ever before.
The Challenge
In 2004, over a period of six weeks, Florida became the first state to be struck by four hurricanes in a single year since 1886.
Prior to Katrina, the 2004 storms represented the largest response and recovery operation in FEMA's history.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A year after Ivan made landfall as a category 4 hurricane, more than $1.4 billion in federal and state disaster assistance has been approved for individuals and communities in Florida’s 15 hardest-hit Panhandle counties.
“FEMA continues to stand with Floridians and is working with state and local governments to ensure those affected by Ivan have access to all of the disaster assistance for which they are eligible,” said Scott R. Morris, director of Florida Long Term Recovery for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.